Lobelia plant named ‘Kielowasky’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Kielowasky’, characterized by its low-mounding and trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; vigorous growth habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; and intense violet blue-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Lobelia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Kielowasky’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Kielowasky.

The new Lobelia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Mariahout-Laarbeek, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create new trailing Lobelia cultivars that flower continuously during the flowering season.

The new Lobelia originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 1998 of a proprietary selection of Lobelia×hybrida identified as code number KB-00-4/6, not patented. The new Lobelia was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Mariahout-Laarbeek, The Netherlands, during the summer of 1999 from the resultant progeny of the above-mentioned self-pollination.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings since 2003 at Steenbergen, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Kielowasky have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kielowasky’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kielowasky’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Low-mounding and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit.     -   4. Freely and continuous flowering habit.     -   5. Intense violet blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the cultivar Kielowasky can be compared to plants of the parent selection. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Venhuizen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Lobelia and the parent selection differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more freely flowering than         plants of the parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia flowered for a longer period of         time than plants of the parent selection.     -   3. Flower color of plants of the new Lobelia was more intense         violet blue than flower color of plants of the parent selection.

Plants of the cultivar Kielowasky can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Wesstar, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,678. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Venhuizen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Lobelia and the cultivar Wesstar differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more freely flowering than         plants of the cultivar Wesstar.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia flowered for a longer period of         time than plants of the cultivar Wesstar.     -   3. Flower color of plants of the new Lobelia was more intense         violet blue than flower color of plants of the cultivar Wesstar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Kielowasky’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top left of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Kielowasky’.

The photograph at the top right of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Kielowasky’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown under greenhouse conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring and summer in Lompoc, Calif. Rooted young plants were grown in 10-cm containers in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse and were about nine weeks from planting when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21 to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from 16 to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 5,000 to 9,000 foot-candles. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia×hybrida cultivar Kielowasky. -   Parentage: Self-pollination of a proprietary selection of     Lobelia×hybrida identified as code number KB-00-4/6, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 12 days at 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 28 days             at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, and white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Low mounding and trailing flowering plants with             intense violet blue-colored flowers. Lateral shoots             outwardly spreading. Freely branching habit with about eight             main branches with lateral branches forming at every node;             dense and bushy. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 12 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 26 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Cross-section:             Squarish. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;             sessile. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:             Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Slightly serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:             Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 146A. Fully             developed foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully developed             foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 147A.             Venation, lower surface: 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary flowers             that are held outwardly. Flowers persistent. Flowering             indeterminate. Freely and continuous flower habit; about 13             to 14 open flowers and flower buds per lateral branch.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Flower shape.—Petals fused at base; flowers tubular and             bilaterally symmetrical with three larger lower petal lobes             and two upright upper petal lobes.         -   Natural flowering season.—Late winter until frost in the             autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual             flowers is highly dependent on weather conditions; typically             about five to seven days.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.5 cm. Depth (height): About             1.8 cm. Flower length (tube and lobes): About 1.8 cm. Tube             length: About 1.4 cm. Throat diameter, distal end: About             3 mm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 2 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Roughly obovate. Color: More gray than 97A.         -   Petal lobes.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals,             fused; three larger lower petal lobes and two smaller upper             petal lobes. Length, upper lobes: About 5 mm. Length, lower             lobes: About 9 mm. Width, upper lobes: About 1 mm. Width,             lower lobes: About 6 mm. Shape, upper and lower lobes:             Elliptic. Apex, upper and lower lobes: Broadly acute to             rounded. Margin, upper and lower lobes: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower lobes, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Color: Developing flowers, upper surface:             96B. Developing flowers, lower surface: 96D. Fully developed             flowers, upper surface: 96C; color becoming closer to 97A             with the development. Fully developed flowers, lower             surface: 97B. Throat: 155D; three spots at base of lower             lobes, 96A. Tube: 155D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at             base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About             1 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Strength: Flexible and wiry, flowers held             outwardly. Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Angle: About 45° from vertical. Color: 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per             flower/arrangement: About five, anthers appressed to style.             Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: 202B. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 158A. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape:             Rounded. Stigma color: 94B. Style length: About 7 mm. Style             color: 145B. Ovary color: 145A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia. -   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and to tolerate temperatures from 4 to     about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘Kielowasky’, as illustrated and described. 